Take Care Sister
by Jedi Jesi Jiin
Summary: Luke wakes in the middle of the night on Endor to find Leia in need of his help. Takes place between "Like the Moon" by I Love Dance, and my "A Brother's Confidence". (Re-post, because I was having issues with the chapter not showing up on the previous one. I deleted the first copy because this one works properly.)


**Take Care, Sister**

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_**A/N 1:**__ This is another sequel of sorts to __"Like the Moon"__ by __**I Love Dance.**__ This story takes place between __"Like the Moon"__ and __"A Brother's Confidence"__. This story is slightly __**AU**__._

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_**A/N 2:**__ I do not own Star Wars._

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**Endor, night of the victory celebration:**

_Lightsabers flashed in a shower of sparks, swing after swing. Mercilessly he battered at the Dark Lord's red blade. _

_How _dare_ he even _insinuate_ turning Leia to the wretched Dark Side!_

_Not his beloved sister!_

Luke Skywalker woke with a start, breathing rapidly in the aftermath of the dream.

_No, not a dream._ Luke knew. _A memory._

He lay on his stomach for long minutes, listening as his breathing steadied, and then waiting to see if he had yet again alerted Han to the fact that he was having trouble sleeping.

Han had spent a good portion of the night up with the young Jedi, for which he was both sorry and grateful. He had needed a shoulder to cry on.

Luke smiled slightly as he remembered that all through their little mishap, his twin sister hadn't made a peep. Luke lifted his head to the steady sound of Han's snores. He smiled warmly at his brother, and then glanced at the third pallet in the room.

He squinted, trying to make out the pallet, attempting to figure out if he was imagining it being empty. But no, Luke realized, she wasn't there.

Luke climbed to his feet, and wandered outside. The village was just as still as it had been earlier than evening. He felt around with the Force, seeking for her warm presence. Luke frowned when he was awarded with a sensation of pain.

He followed her presence until he came to a dark, deserted corner of the village. He finally spotted her sitting on a wooden stool, and rummaging through a small sack.

"Leia?" he called softly as he approached.

She jumped, dropping the bag to spill its contents all over the walkway. She dove to collect everything before it fell through the wooden slats to be lost forever in the foliage below. Luke ran forward to help, noticing that each item was cosmetic.

_I never realized how much makeup a woman needs._ He thought wryly.

Luke handed her the items he had collected, and froze for a heartbeat when he caught sight of her tear-streaked face.

"What's wrong?" Luke asked in concern.

He knelt before her, forgetting the items in his grasp as he seized her smaller hands. She was trembling.

"Leia?"

She looked ashamed, and wouldn't meet his gaze.

Luke lifted a hand to her face, accidentally brushing up against her neck as he did so. She winced, but said nothing despite his lifted eyebrow.

Luke touched her face, and turned her head gently toward him.

"Leia, what's the matter?" he pressed.

She gazed at him as silent tears fell, and Luke moved his hand away when she shook her head. He laid his hand on his leg, and gave a start when skin-colored makeup wiped onto his black pants.

Luke jerked his gaze to her face, and then peered closer at the spot on her neck he had touched. Leia leaned away from him when he moved to touch it.

"Please don't." she whispered.

"Leia, did you get hurt in the battle?" Luke demanded.

Leia shook her head. "Nothing aside from the arm shot."

"Then why are you wearing makeup on your neck?"

Leia trembled a little harder, and suddenly bolted up, scrambling away. Luke staggered to his feet.

"Leia!" he cried as he followed.

He caught up to her and touched her shoulder, only to have her yelp and then stumble and fall as she jerked away. She fell to the floor, shaking and weeping.

Luke dropped down beside her, now in full-alert mode. He carefully wiped away at her neck with his sleeve, and gasped at the red and rubbed-raw skin underneath.

"What in space?" he stammered. "Is your shoulder like this too?"

Leia gave up with a muffled sob, and nodded.

"May I see?" Luke asked.

Leia hesitated, looking around, and Luke took her hint.

"Come here."

He hefted her tenderly into his arms, and carried her to an abandoned hut where he laid her on the rug in the center of the room.

"Now, let me see your injury please." Luke instructed.

Leia sat up shakily, and looked at him shyly.

"I'll have to take my shirt off."

Luke swallowed. "I know this is awkward, Leia, but I am only trying to help."

"I know. I just don't want anyone to think the wrong thing." Leia whispered. "Especially Han."

"I'll keep watch with the Force for any passerby." Luke promised.

"Alright."

Luke averted his eyes respectfully while Leia opened her shirt.

"You don't have to turn away, brother."

Luke nodded silently, and felt his eyes widen as he took in her sores. He traced a line of red along her neck, and saw that it was in a pattern that resembled a two-piece bathing suit's top. He frowned, trying to puzzle it out, when he noticed another line of red on her hips.

"What is all of this from, Leia?" he asked, as he gingerly touched the sores.

"Jabba's palace." she blinked back tears of shame, and refused to meet her brother's startled gaze.

"That sla… uh, metal bikini did this didn't it?" Luke could see it clearly now.

"Yes." Leia answered.

"He never should have had you out in those suns in such an outfit." Luke growled. "I am sorry Leia; sorry you had to endure that tyrant's cruelty."

"It was worth it for Han." Leia said softly, still not looking at him.

Luke gently lifted her chin. "There is nothing for you to be ashamed of, Leia."

She closed her eyes as more tears slipped down her cheeks.

"I should have stuck to your plan. If I hadn't been so impatient, I…"

Luke placed a finger on her lips. "No. You were following your heart. I cannot be angry at you for that. You love Han."

"Yes, I do." Leia whispered.

"What I don't get is how you could hide this." Luke lifted a questioning brow. "Why didn't you say anything before the battle?"

"I didn't want to be left behind." Leia stated, now looking him straight on. "I couldn't have born sitting on the sidelines during the most important battle in Alliance history. I…we… have worked too hard for so long."

Luke pursed his lips. "I doubt they could have kept you away. This could have easily been treated by a Two-One-Bee."

"I was busy." Leia mumbled.

Luke smirked. "Story of your life."

Leia cracked a small smile as well. "Yeah."

"Are there any other affected areas?" Luke asked.

"No."

"Okay," Luke carefully started to push her down to lie on her side. "Lie down for me, please. I need to be able to reach your wounds."

"What are you doing?" Leia queried uncertainly.

"I can use the Force to heal you." Luke answered.

"Really?" Leia sounded surprised.

"Well, I don't have a lot of practice, but yes." Luke sounded sheepish.

"Alright." Leia lay down as requested.

Luke nestled up behind her so he could reach all her injuries. He closed his eyes in concentration and set to work. He ran his fingers lightly over her raw skin, soothing it with the healing energies of the Force.

Leia gasped as she felt the connection, remembering that Luke had said she had the Force as well. In wonder, she tried to touch that power, and was startled when Luke responded by guiding her to it.

She gingerly followed, wondering how he was going to split his attention between keeping watch, healing her, _and_ guiding her. She felt his smile before he drifted away to concentrate once again on her wounds.

Leia discovered she could follow a little of what Luke was doing, and she watched with rapt fascination as her skin went from an angry red to completely healed.

Luke continued his ministrations until she had no more raw skin, and then he gently pulled away in the Force. He rested his head wearily on the arm under his head, and Leia sat up, looking at herself in wonder.

"It worked." She murmured. "You did it Luke!"

She turned to find him smiling warmly in her direction. But as soon as he remembered that she was only wearing a bra up top, he closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to look." he blushed.

Leia quickly donned her shirt. "Thank you, brother." She kissed his cheek.

Next she snuggled against his side, resting her head on her twin brother's shoulder. Luke embraced her warmly, reveling in his new-found sister's love. She completed him in a way he had never before realized was absent.

She was an integral part of him, and she always would be. It was one of the perks of a twin bond.

"Luke?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you… ever wonder what it might have been like…" Leia paused.

"Go on." Luke encouraged.

"If we had grown up together." Leia finished.

Luke sighed quietly. "I do wonder now that I know the truth." He admitted.

"I guess it's a good thing that we never… you know…"

Luke blanched at the thought of how close they had come at times: when he had first joined the Rebellion, he had been infatuated with the Princess. And then he turned a furious shade of red as he recalled the few kisses they had shared.

"Yes." He agreed heartily. "I am very thankful for that too."

"I guess subconsciously we both knew, didn't we?" Leia murmured thoughtfully.

"I think we did. Or rather, our spirits knew each other somehow." Luke responded. "We did share out mother's womb for nine months. We only had each other during that time, so it would make sense on a primitive level."

"I wonder what Mother was really like?" Leia said. "All I have are a few images."

Luke felt his spirits droop. "At least you have something of hers." He whispered forlornly.

Leia sat up enough to see the moisture building up in his cerulean orbs.

"Luke…" she began, caressing his face lovingly. "I… I don't know how to comfort you on that front. Maybe I could share the image I have?" she offered.

Luke looked at her in surprise. "You would do that for me?"

"For you, yes." Leia swallowed. "I've never really said much about those memories, but you're her son as much as I am her daughter."

Luke's face lightened substantially, and Leia didn't need the Force to read the hope in his countenance.

"Yes, please!" Luke pleaded softly.

"Alright. I'll bring up the memories; you can come into my mind and see for yourself." Leia said slowly. "Give me a moment."

Luke waited patiently for his sister to prepare herself. When she nodded wordlessly, Luke gently probed her mind. Ha gasped as their link was opened via the Force, and the not-entirely focused image of a woman smiled down upon him.

She was beautiful, just as Leia had described, with deep chocolate hair and sad, yet loving eyes. And just as quickly as the image appeared, it was gone, and their link broken.

Leia was breathing heavily. "I'm sorry, I couldn't hold it anymore."

Luke shook his head. "No, you're just fine."

He hugged her close. "Thank you. Thank you so much!" his voice was thick with emotion.

Leia smiled against his chest. "I'm glad you can know Mother a little better."

Luke kissed her head. "It's the greatest gift you could have given me. I love you, dear Sister."

"I love you too, Brother."


End file.
